Metal Hammer

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Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future plc.†1 It was conceived in 1983 by Wilfried F. Rimensberger and the UK edition launched in November 1986.†2†3 The magazine covers heavy metal, rock, punk, grunge, and alternative music with news, reviews, interviews, and long-form articles on both mainstream and underground acts.†4†5

As of April 2026, issue 412 was recently released.†6 It is published 12 times per year.†7

History

Wilfried F. Rimensberger, then chief editor of the German magazine MusikSzene, conceived Metal Hammer in 1983 and pitched the multilingual concept to publisher Jürgen Wigginghaus, leading to the launch of the German edition shortly thereafter.†5 The UK edition, considered the flagship, was launched from London in November 1986 with Harry Doherty, formerly of Melody Maker, as editor.†5†3

Dennis Publishing acquired Metal Hammer in 1994 and sold it to Future Publishing in 2000.†5 In 2013, TeamRock acquired it along with Classic Rock and Prog, but Future repurchased the titles after TeamRock's collapse in 2016.†5 In 2018, Future rebranded the TeamRock website as Louder, serving as the online home for Metal Hammer and its sister publications.†5

Editorial profile and coverage

Metal Hammer features news, interviews, album and live reviews, and articles on heavy metal bands ranging from mainstream to underground, extending to rock, grunge, punk, hardcore, and alternative genres.†8†9 The magazine maintains review sections and live show coverage.†10

Ownership and management

Future plc has published the UK edition since 2000, except for the 2013–2016 period under TeamRock.†5†7 The German edition operates separately under Axel Springer SE since 1999.†5

Digital presence

The magazine's content is hosted on the Louder website, which Future established in 2018 for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, and Prog.†5†1

Brand extensions

Metal Hammer organized the annual Golden Gods Awards from 2003 to 2018, honoring prominent heavy metal figures with performances by artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, and Slipknot.†5

The magazine produced podcasts, including The Metal Hammer Podcast (launched 2009, revived 2018–2022) and a radio show (2013–2018), as well as the 2016 ...In Residence Spotify series.†5

Citations

  1. Metal Hammer (primary source). Future plc, 2026. URL:https://www.loudersound.com/metalhammer
    Referenced by: †11, †12
  2. Metal Hammer. Wikipedia, 2024. URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Hammer
    Referenced by: †2
  3. Metal Hammer. Guitar Wiki, 2024. URL:https://guitar.fandom.com/wiki/Metal_Hammer
    Referenced by: †31, †32
  4. Metal Hammer Magazine Subscriptions and Issue 412 Issue. Pocketmags, 2026. URL:https://pocketmags.com/metal-hammer-magazine
    Referenced by: †4
  5. Metal Hammer - Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2024. URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Hammer
    Referenced by: †51, †52, †53, †54, †55, †56, †57, †58, †59, †510, †511
  6. Metal Hammer Magazine Subscription. Newsstand.co.uk, 2026. URL:https://www.newsstand.co.uk/190-heavy-metal-magazines/2659-subscribe-to-metal-hammer-magazine-subscription.aspx
    Referenced by: †6
  7. Metal Hammer. media.info, 2021. URL:https://media.info/magazines/titles/metal-hammer
    Referenced by: †71, †72
  8. Metal Hammer Magazine Back Issues. CrazyAboutMagazines, 2023. URL:https://www.crazyaboutmagazines.com/ourshop/cat_58017-METAL-HAMMER.html
    Referenced by: †8
  9. Issue May 2026 - Metal Hammer UK. Zinio, 2025. URL:https://www.zinio.com/publications/metal-hammer-uk/23933
    Referenced by: †9
  10. Lets talk about Metal Hammer magazine. Reddit, 2024. URL:https://www.reddit.com/r/MetalForTheMasses/comments/1hpo651/lets_talk_about_metal_hammer_magazine_the_good/
    Referenced by: †10

Published on: 17 April 2026 23:28